The Oral Pathology Residency Program at Columbia Presbyterian Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital is a three year hospital-based residency program and is designed to train the post-graduate student in Oral Pathology in a way similar to that of the medical general pathology resident. In addition to the educational objectives of this program, it also teaches the resident to feel comfortable in the hospital environment and to be competent and confident in his/her interactions with medical colleagues.

It encourages the resident to

seek a career in hospital oral pathology,

function properly in a university based oral pathology program, and,

function in the practice of clinical oral pathology.

The 36-month hospital-based oral pathology residency program is fully approved by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Education and qualifies the resident for the American Board of Oral Pathology examination.

The program is designed to prepare the trainee:

1. To understand and correlate the gross and microscopic characteristics of biopsy specimens in order to form an accurate diagnosis of diseased tissue(s).
2. To learn to write gross and microscopic descriptions;
3. To establish and maintain an oral pathology biopsy service;
4. To diagnose and treat oral mucosal diseases including vesiculobullous diseases, the effects of medications on the oral mucosa, allergic reactions, infectious disease particularly viral and fungal, and premalignant and malignant lesions.
5. To learn the effects of systemic diseases on the oral tissues.
6. To teach oral pathology to undergraduate dental students, dental residents and oral and maxillofacial surgery residents;
7. To teach oral pathology to oral pathology and general pathology residents;
8. To present routine and unusual case reports at hospital conferences and tumor boards;
9. To perform clinico-pathologic research;
10. To prepare manuscripts for publication on clinico-pathologic research.

Important to the program is its residency basis.

The residency concept fosters a total immersion in the study of pathology during the 36-month training period. Although located in a large prestigious university based medical center, this is not a classroom oriented school program.